THOUSANDS of patients could be left without an NHS dentist in less than two weeks' time.

All five of Heywood's NHS dentists have refused to sign new contracts before the March 31 deadline.

The unanimous decision was reached on Monday when members of the Local Dental Committee held a meeting.

The Advertiser has reported for months that the town's NHS dental service is heading for chaos because the majority of dentists were refusing to accept a new working system.

Under the system they would be under contract to the Primary Care Trust and paid a fixed sum each time they carried out a treatment.

The PCT has remained confident that contracts would be in place by the end of this month.

Heywood's five remaining NHS dentists had all threatened to pull out of the NHS unless the contracts were improved.

On Tuesday they issued a statement saying they now intend to do that because the targets set in the contracts are unachievable.

The statement said: "Tens of thousands of Middleton and Heywood residents could be left without an NHS dentists in less than two weeks' time.

"Reforms due to be implemented will see NHS dentists paid on a points system that threatens to plunge the service into meltdown."

John Cameron, spokesman for Heywood's dentists, said: "Not enough money is being offered in these contracts to even cover a dentist's overheads, let alone provide a living. I have spoken to the Primary Care Trust and I have been told that if Heywood's dentists sign before the end of March, their contracts can be reviewed later in the year and altered if necessary.

"They are naturally unhappy about entering into a contract they consider bad for them and bad for patients.

"If Heywood's dentists do not sign contracts, the PCT will be obliged to provide a service, which means it would have to find premises and recruit dentists. But there is a such a shortage of qualified dentists, that would be impossible."

The PCT says four of Heywood and Middleton's 12 NHS dental practices have already signed contracts.

Officials claim dentists are not saying they will reject the new contract but that they have concerns about some aspects.

Gaynor Mullins, acting chief executive at Heywood and Middleton PCT, said: "The PCT understands that dentists have concerns about how the new contract will operate and the way that activity levels have been calculated.

"We have made it clear that we will work with them over the next few months to see how the contract is working in practice and if it becomes clear that the activity levels need to be reviewed then they will be.

"We have had really good relationships with our dentists over the past few years and we want to continue that good joint working and continue to develop local NHS dental services.

"Our responsibility is to secure NHS dental services to the residents of Heywood and Middleton and we are working hard to achieve this."